Unique Amazon Sustaintable Comunities Encounter in Ecuador

Airport meet and greet. Transfer to your accommodation at Garden Hotel San Jose de Puembo. (Suite category) Depending on your arrival me- This day we could organize a lunch and cooking class: “You have to taste a culture, in order to understand it” – Deborah Cater. Ready to learn how to prepare one of those delicious dishes that you will learn to love along your journey? Take a cooking class with a local chef. This is a culinary tour dedicated for those food lovers, with no previous cooking experience. Take home the knowledge of an unforgettable experience in flavors, colors and products that Ecuador has to offer, so you can share back at home with your loved ones. Begin with a visit of a local food market to buy fresh fruits and vegetables for today’s menu according to the Chefs buying list. Then go back to the restaurant kitchen where the chef will give you some tips and history before he shows you how to prepare those local and savory dishes.

Your journey begins in Coca with a scenic two-hour motorized canoe ride along the Napo River, where you may spot local birdlife while enjoying a box lunch. Upon arrival at the Napo Cultural Center, the Kichwa Añangu community will welcome you with a traditional drink. Settle into your jungle-view room before exploring the rainforest on your first guided walk. Optional sunset kayaking is available before dinner and an overnight stay surrounded by the sounds of the Amazon.

After an early breakfast, travel by canoe to one of the highlights of the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve, a vibrant parrot clay lick along the Napo River. From the boat and a nearby forest viewpoint, observe colorful flocks of parrots and parakeets, with the chance to spot monkeys and other wildlife. Later, visit the Kuri Muyu Intercultural Center, managed by the women of the community, to learn about Kichwa traditions, crafts, and ancestral knowledge. In the afternoon, climb a 35-meter observation tower for panoramic rainforest views and excellent wildlife spotting opportunities. After dinner, enjoy a unique cultural experience aboard an ancestral catamaran on the Napo River, discovering local legends and traditional songs by the fire.

Enjoy the sunrise at breakfast, visit the sustainable community projects, talk about the worldview Kichwa Addition to medicinal and walk in the Mama Cuna road, excellent opportunity to see more wildlife, ceiba trees, strangler, bamboo cane, vines and shrubs endemic from Yasuní. In the afternoon after a delicious local lunch paddle around stream, a black water ecosystem where you can spot monkeys jumping from tree to tree, caiman and sometimes even giant river otters trying to catch fish. Upon arriving you will have time to settle back and prepare for a traditional typical dinner to taste local flavors of the amazon, such as “maito” which is grilled fish wrapped in a “bijao” leaf and if you have an adventurous palate try the grilled worms of the “chonta” locally known as “chontakuru”. After dinner, prepare your flashlight for a night walk around the lodge to see different kind of insects, reptiles and even nocturnal mammals like the night monkeys. (B/L/D) Overnight at Napo Lodge

After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy free time depending on your flight schedule. At the designated time, you will be transferred to Quito International Airport for your onward flight. We hope you leave Ecuador with unforgettable memories of its breathtaking landscapes, rich culture, and warm hospitality.